Shi Hengshan commits suicide

[GeneChing]

Apparently, he hung himself. Hengshan was a Shaolin monk that immigrated to NYC. He was associated with STOH.

There's not much news in English, but it's all over the web in Chinese. Here's a World Journal article.

潦倒紐約 少林寺武僧自縊

　釋恒善生前練武的照片。(圖為紐約少林寺提供)
【本報記者蕭巧莉紐約報導】在紐約市法拉盛的紐約少林寺前武僧釋恒善在感恩節後一天的24日，被人發現上吊 自殺，雖被緊急送醫，但仍不治，他的師父釋延章 25日對外表示，釋恒善因生病被趕出紐約少林寺，因此貧病交集被迫自殺。紐約少林寺住持釋果林26日表示， 紐約少林寺並沒有趕走釋恒善，並對釋恒善的自殺感到很難過。

釋恒善的乾媽蔡菁菁26日表示，釋恒善24日與她約好下午在曼哈坦華埠見面，但是她苦等不到人。直到釋延章 打手機找釋恒善，但接聽電話的居然是警察，他們才得知釋恒善24日下午已經在法拉盛一棟住宅後面上吊自殺， 送醫後仍不治。

釋恒善的乾姐黃俍梅26日也反駁釋恒善因為生病被逐出紐約少林寺的說法，她說釋恒善因腰背受傷，她曾多次帶 其去看中醫西醫，看病費用都是由釋果林與她一起負擔，但恒善卻因為身體不好，情緒一直很低落。

紐約僑報26日報導，釋恒善於 2003 年受紐約少林寺的聘請前來擔任教練。釋延章則表示，釋恒善曾在聊天時提起原先受聘來美曾說好薪水是每月15 00元。釋延章則表示，釋恒善曾在聊天時提及但是三年下來他沒有拿到任何薪水，寺方釋果林還扣留押其護照， 因此釋恒善心情很壓抑，而今年 9 月 24日再被寺方釋果林以生病不能勝任教練為由，將釋恒善趕出少林寺，釋恒善因為沒有錢租房子，再加上身體不 適，因此情緒十分不穩定。

紐約少林寺住持釋果林26日對此回應，他說當初是因要幫恒善辦H1的簽證來美，所以薪資必須達到規定的標準 ，因此文件上才會註明年薪2萬 7000元，但在恒善來美之後，他曾對釋恒善表示少林寺的困難，且釋恒善本人也因感謝紐約少林寺協助他來美 ，主動表示他不需要薪水，雖然如此，但釋果林每年也會匯款兩千至三千元給恒善在中國的家人，偶爾也會給釋恒 善零用錢。

釋果林進一步解釋，釋恒善因為出家，也算佛家弟子，平常吃住都在寺內，因此不像一般上班族要拿固定薪水。釋 果林強調他並沒有扣押釋恒善的護照，只是因為2004年協助釋恒善續簽簽證，所以才會拿他護照，之後就幫他 保管，「但只要釋恒善跟他要他一定會立刻給釋恒善」。

釋果林也表示，釋恒善因為身體不適，曾向他表示想回中國成家，因此他本來計劃10月13日帶他回中國，但是 釋恒善在9月24日表示要去跟釋延章告別，一去就毫無音訊，他們多次聯絡都沒有結果。

釋果林說，釋恒善是一個很善良、個性溫和與內向的孩子，他們很想幫助恒善處理後事，但是他曾聯絡釋延章兩次 都遭拒絕，他們目前已經主動打電話給醫院與政府相關單位，期望能送釋恒善最後一程，他表示未來將會更關心少 林寺弟子的身心健康。

釋延章26日表示已經通知釋恒善在河南的父母，並為他們申請來美的簽證，他在得知釋果林的解釋之後，不願對 此多作說明，他只強調「釋果林要問問自己的良心」。

2006-11-27

[Royal Dragon]

Can you elaborate on this?

Most of us don't read Chinese. How did this happen? was it a training accident? or deliberate?

[David Jamieson]

I believe "suicide" would denote deliberate here.

any note left behind as to why the guy checked himself out?

is this the first incident of a shaolin offing himself?

did he do it in protest of something? was it his own desires that he succumbed to?

I am interested in knowing why a shaolin would kill himself. I understand self immolation has been a form of protest such as what Buddhist monks did in vietnam to protest theFrench and American involvement there, but I am curious about this guys motivation.

he does look like a pretty yound guy in his picture. Is that recent?
anyway, like rd said, can we get the info in the glish please?

["Clean"shaolin]

the news that i got from both the media & friends who "used" to donate and support Shi Guolin is that due to blackmailing, abuse of all forms including not paying HengShan any salary or even food money, the young Martial Monk ended his life by hanging himself in Flushing NY.

& this is not the first time that Guolin pushed someone to death, according to 2 Chinese newspapers.

What is shocking is that we still have all these Chinese & American followers who still believe that Guolin is a real monk.

The most sad thing is, on one of the Chinese newspaper, the "World Journal's front page, while publishing the Suicide news, it actually defends Guolin, by saying that he is "busy" getting some "Bardo-practice", or spiritual service done for the dead monk's soul.


Why? Because Guolin pays the news paper thousands of dollars each month for advertising, where does Guolin get the money? not from teaching martial arts, but from Buddhists students who believe that they are doing a great deed!!!!!!!!

Who is REALLY responsible? for Hengshan's death?
Everyone, please, please wake up, including Gene, who i have never met but have a whole world of respect to...

Please wake up to this whole "Shaolin" thing, Shaolin was destroying 2 times after the Ching Dynasty by warlords who were actually Buddhists, to clean up the rape, stealing, & killings that the corrupted temple had been involved in. If you want to see published Chinese documents on this, i have them here or i can email to you guys.

Shaolin, is the laughing stock of many real buddhist people in mainland China and in Taiwan, on media, Buddhism discussion forums, newspapers, for its poverty of real spiritual knowledge and yrs of corruption. Too bad most of us here can’ read Chinese. Even though Yongxin had been trying hard to do some reform, the place's energy/karma is just too messed up to be cleaned up.

Let' keep the issues separate, Guolin is a half-decent MA teacher and was half-normal before the money, women and power got to him in the big apple,(not to say that now Henan is 10 times more corrupted than ny.)

If he openly takes off his "Monk" or "Shi" title, and just teach Martial arts as a business, like Hengxin and Lipeng are doing, i would sent my kid to him as well as many other Chinese Buddhists parents would. We would respect his honesty, but now, no way in hell!!!!

So all Shaolin USA students, please, please take a stand, to leave fake monks, even though that their Kung Fu might be good, this is really about Karma, about paying respects to the dead......

And all Buddhist, before you donate to any temple, think twice, Guolin got big because the general stupidity, superstition of the Chinese Buddhists community. In a sense, Guolin's Karma is everyone else's Karma that's around him. Dont' you agree, Gene?

So if you are mostly looking for enlightenment and real health, LEAVE shaolin related-teachers, period......

Let's really try to keep the Kung Fu training separate from the name of Shaolin. It took me many, many yrs to be able to wake up.

I was an early yr student of both Yanming and Guolin on Allen St, when they both defected from Chan Poi's Shaolin Tour,when they were brothers before Yanming bought a Gun & trying to shoot Guolin.

But if he did shoot, maybe it would have saved a lot of other's lives, like Hengshan's...

A Mi Tuo Fo

Yan Ming, might be a monk with broken wows, but at least he is not a "back-stabber", a "killer". According to ALL other sifus that i have met who know both Guolin and Yangming-Sifu Fukui Yang who used to teach at Yanming's place, Sifu Chen Yan(Bagua Sifu who teaches at Frank Yee's, who was once Guolin's Godsister), Sifu Xian Gao, who got in trouble with supporting prostitution but at least is not hiding behind a monk's robe, Sifu Tailiang Li, Sifu Chen Ying, Sifu Ning Zhao( a master of Chen style taiji who used to teach at Guolin's, who I heard from his student that Hengshan had cried many times about the abuse issue to...which i have to verify myself when he comes back from Henan.), Sifu Ping Zhen who who knows Yanming & Guolin for yrs, Sifu Rengang Wang, etc.. almost EVERY, EVERY Chinese sifu in NY and in Flushing.

The most sarcastic thing is, even Master Guangyi Ren, who used to be partners with Guolin, does not give positive comments about his "EX" Henan brother...

The best thing is that most of these Sifus have contact infos or websites, just call or email them yourself would be the best way....

[jigahus]

This sounds important but I have no idea, no historical info to know who and what significances most of these monks did.

[nyhakka]

We all know what these monks are! But not my place to state it since I'm ot a student of one, but I'll pray for his soul.

Also, I'd like to see some of that documentation spoken about

[Fook Kuil]

Omi tor fut

Suil lum gung fu is very good its a shame this will bring bad reflexion on temple and other suil lum.

very sad

[GeneChing]

The Chinese news is fairly tabloid so far. They're having a field day with this. As with any such situation, it may take a while until everything is sorted out. There is talk of an autopsy. There is talk that Hengshan had already split with Yanzhang from Guolin. There is talk that Hengshan was on his way back to China. Who knows at this point? As you might imagine, there's a lot of crazy rumors swirling around this right now. We'll keep monitoring it and share what we can. If anyone wants to set themselves to the task of translating the Chinese paper articles, be my guest.

"Clean"shaolin - I deleted your other post since it was exactly the same as the one you posted on this thread, and given that at this point, you've only posted these two posts - well one now - all I can say is, 'welcome to the forum'

[CFT]

在紐約市法拉盛的紐約少林寺前武僧釋恒善在感恩節後一天的24日，被人發現上吊 自殺，雖被緊急送醫，但仍不治，他的師父釋延章 25日對外表示，釋恒善因生病被趕出紐約少林寺，因此貧病交集被迫自殺。紐約少林寺住持釋果林26日表示， 紐約少林寺並沒有趕走釋恒善，並對釋恒善的自殺感到很難過

Shaolin martial monk Shi Hengshan was found hanging in Flushing, New York one day after Thanksgiving on November 24th. He was quickly rushed for medical aid but could not be treated. His teacher, Shi Yanzhang issued a statement on the 25th: Shi Hengshan was forced out of the New York Shaolin Temple because of his illness. Due to the combination of illness and destitution he was forced into committing suicide. New York Shaolin Temple abbot Shi Guolin issued a statement on the 26th: the New York Shaolin Temple did not force Shi Hengshan out and was very saddened to learn of his suicide.

釋恒善的乾媽蔡菁菁26日表示，釋恒善24日與她約好下午在曼哈坦華埠見面，但是她苦等不到人 。直到釋延章 打手機找釋恒善，但接聽電話的居然是警察，他們才得知釋恒善24日下午已經在法拉盛一棟住宅後 面上吊自殺， 送醫後仍不治。

Cai Qingqing, the godmother of Shi Hengshan issued a statement on the 26th: she was due to meet Shi Hengshan on the afternoon of the 24th in Manhattan's Chinatown, but was kept waiting. Not until Shi Yanzhang tried to call Shi Hengshan, and the call picked up by a police officer, did they find out that Shi Hengshan had commited suicide by hanging in a Flushing apartment.

釋恒善的乾姐黃俍梅26日也反駁釋恒善因為生病被逐出紐約少林寺的說法，她說釋恒善因腰背受傷 ，她曾多次帶 其去看中醫西醫，看病費用都是由釋果林與她一起負擔，但恒善卻因為身體不好，情緒一直很低落。

Shi Hengshan's younger godsister Huang Langmei stated on the 26th that Shi Hengshan was forced out of the New York Shaolin Temple because of his ill health. He had been suffering from a lower back injury. She had taken him many times to both Western and Tradtitional Chinese medicine practitioners, the cost of which was met by both herself and Shi Guolin. But Hengshan became very depressed because of his ill health.

紐約僑報26日報導，釋恒善於 2003 年受紐約少林寺的聘請前來擔任教練。釋延章則表示，釋恒善曾在聊天時提起原先受聘來美曾說好薪 水是每月15 00元。釋延章則表示，釋恒善曾在聊天時提及但是三年下來他沒有拿到任何薪水，寺方釋果林還扣留押 其護照， 因此釋恒善心情很壓抑，而今年 9 月 24日再被寺方釋果林以生病不能勝任教練為由，將釋恒善趕出少林寺，釋恒善因為沒有錢租房子，再加 上身體不 適，因此情緒十分不穩定。

The New York China Press reports on the 26th that Shi Hengshan was invited by the New York Shaolin Temple in 2003 to become an instructor. Shi Yanzhang stated that Shi Hengshan mentioned in everyday conversation that he was promised a monthly salary of 1500 USD, but over the past 3 years he has not drawn any salary and abbot Shi Guolin confiscated his passport. Due to this his (Shi Hengshan) emotional state became depressed. Furthermore on 24th Spetember he was forced to leave the New York Shaolin Temple by the abbot Shi Guolin on the pretext that he was not able to meet his teaching duties due to ill health. Since Shi Hengshan did not have money for accommodation and was in ill health, this caused his emotional state to become very unstable.

紐約少林寺住持釋果林26日對此回應，他說當初是因要幫恒善辦H1的簽證來美，所以薪資必須達 到規定的標準 ，因此文件上才會註明年薪2萬 7000元，但在恒善來美之後，他曾對釋恒善表示少林寺的困難，且釋恒善本人也因感謝紐約少林寺協助他來美 ，主動表示他不需要薪水，雖然如此，但釋果林每年也會匯款兩千至三千元給恒善在中國的家人，偶 爾也會給釋恒 善零用錢。

New York Shaolin Temple abbot Shi Guolin replies on the 26th: due to the H1 application requiring a fixed income statement, an annual salary of 27000USD was entered on the application. But once Shi Hengshan arrived in the USA it was explained to him the difficulties of the Shaolin Temple. It was Shi Hengshan himself who offered to not take his salary as a gesture of appreciation for the efforts of the New York Shaolin Temple in helping him to get into the USA. Although this was the case, Shi Guolin would send an annual remmittance of 2000 to 3000USD to Shi Hengshan's family in China, and also gave him an allowance.

釋果林進一步解釋，釋恒善因為出家，也算佛家弟子，平常吃住都在寺內，因此不像一般上班族要拿固定薪水。釋 果林強調他並沒有扣押釋恒善的護照，只是因為2004年協助釋恒善續簽簽證，所以才會拿他護照，之後就幫他 保管，「但只要釋恒善跟他要他一定會立刻給釋恒善」。

Shi Guolin further explained that because Shi Hengshan had been initiated as a monk, he could be regarded as a full Buddhist student - everyday food and living could be met within the Temple itself. Therefore he was not like the students who needed a salary [in order to pay for lessons]. Shi Guolin strenuously denied that he had confiscated Shi Hengshan's passport; it was needed in 2004 to extend Shi Hengshan's visa, and afterwards he looked after it on his behalf. Had Shi Hengshan wanted it back then it would have been returned immediately.

釋果林也表示，釋恒善因為身體不適，曾向他表示想回中國成家，因此他本來計劃10月13日帶他 回中國，但是 釋恒善在9月24日表示要去跟釋延章告別，一去就毫無音訊，他們多次聯絡都沒有結果。

Shi Guolin also stated that because of his ill health, Shi Hengshan had told him that wanted to return to China to start a family. Therefore he [Shi Guolin] had planned to return to China with him on 13th October. But on 24th September Shi Hengshan went to say goodbye to Shi Yanzhang, and all contact was lost since then. Many times contact was atempted but without success.

釋果林說，釋恒善是一個很善良、個性溫和與內向的孩子，他們很想幫助恒善處理後事，但是他曾聯 絡釋延章兩次 都遭拒絕，他們目前已經主動打電話給醫院與政府相關單位，期望能送釋恒善最後一程，他表示未來 將會更關心少 林寺弟子的身心健康。

Shi Guolin said that Shi Hengshan was a benevolent, even tempered and introspective child. They [NY Shaolin] wanted to help with his funeral arrangements, but both attempts to contact Shi Yanzhang were met with refusal. They [NY Shaolin] have at present contacted the hospital and appropriate government departments, with the hope that they can send Shi Hengshan off on his final journey. He [Shi Guolin] said that in the future he would pay even more attention to the physical and mental health of Shaolin disciples.

釋延章26日表示已經通知釋恒善在河南的父母，並為他們申請來美的簽證，他在得知釋果林的解釋 之後，不願對 此多作說明，他只強調「釋果林要問問自己的良心」。

Shi Yanzhang stated on the 26th that he had already informed the parents of Shi Hengshan in Henan, and had applied for their entry visa to the USA. After hearing Shi Guolin's explanation he declined to comment. He adamantly stated that Shi Guolin needed to look at his own conscience.

[David Jamieson]

nobody get's forced into commiting suicide, it is a choice that is made at an individual level and blaming his suicide on someone else is fruitless.

thanks for the translation of the article.

[Buby]

I have two buddies that train at Goulin's and they both told me the same thing. I was told Goulin didn't pay the monk and was holding on to his passport.


Buby

["Clean"shaolin]

Thank you, Gene, for helping us to have a real place of free speech.

I hope that by seeing all that' false with today's

Shaolin, we can actually be helpful on bringing back the real Shaolin spirit which did exist before the Ching Dynasty, before Shaolin turned into a government dog, like it is now to just bringing in cash for the Henan Province's corrupted officials while whole viliages of AIDs patients next door to it are not getting a penny from them.

Any American here who wants to do a search, just search under "Henan's AIDS village" and you will see what' going on, sure it's not Shaolin's fault, but......

Anyway, the new rumors from Yanzhang and Yanming's people are that Guolin hired kidnappers and killers(which only cost less then 10 grams in the Chinese community here) to kill HengShan so that

a.Hengshan does not report to Yongxin on how dark the NY Shaolin is
b. The attorneys of Hengshan would not report to INS and Dept of Labor for lying to the immigration of paying Hengshan a salary, then Guolin would really got in trouble with the law

... I hope this is only a rumor and I think it is because Guolin did say to the Chinese media that he did lie to the Immigration and Labor dept of not paying Hengshan.

Let's say Hengshan did commit suicide and the death is from many causes, and of course Guolin would still be one of the major ones, nobody can run away from Karma, let's face it.

["Clean"shaolin]

Please, then, why are they still training there and support ing the "dark" Shaolin.

I am speaking with a few Chinese Buddists attorneys that just for the right causes, we should start a criminal case agaist Guolin, on abuse and also Fraud and lying to the immigration which Guolin openly admitted in his interview on the death case, contact me offline if those Guolin's students are willing to testify as witnesses and of couse some Buddhist Charity groups would come up with a fee to pay for the witness's time.

Again, this is not personal, I think Guolin's Hard Qigong is pretty good that I would even send my son to him if he drops his monk robe.

If the law does not take care of this, Shi Yongxin should, if he doesn't, then maybe......what happened to Hengshan, will happen to Guolin too.......

Also, any Guolin students here, please contact me in PM, for a good cause,

but wait a day or so, Gene is right too, let's see what the cops find on this.

[GeneChing]

I searched the Singtao site but didn't see the article. I only did a quick search, though. If anyone finds it, CFT, would you do us the honors of translation again?

I've interacted with Shi Guolin and his students on many occasions and never had any issues with him. I have had issues with other monks, so this has little to do with my bias towards my own martial lineage. And I've known Shi Guolin for years. Of course, the face that anyone presents to the media (me) can be very different than the reality, but my impression of Shi Guolin has always been very positive.

At this point, I'm just watching to see what comes next. Shaolin is always a difficult path. Many are called. Few are chosen.

["Clean"shaolin]

The article pretty much validates everything I heard, except the Guolin hiring killers part.

I'll translate it later or maybe someone else can help out.

Very, very sick and disturbing, done under the name of the Buddha.

Gene is right, the "Real" Shaolin path is tough, so let's watch out and clean out the frauds.

Here is the link:

http://www.singtaousa.com/index1.html

師弟上吊枉死 師兄欲討公道主持釋果林﹕怎會刻薄徒弟


(本報訊 )紐約法拉盛少林寺武術教練釋恒善懸樑自盡後，恒善的師兄釋延章和可樂娜少林寺法師恒霖等人，均對法拉盛少 林寺的主持釋果林表示不滿，認為果林沒有盡到僱主責任，希望社會能替恒善「討回公道」。他們並表示，將在本 周五舉辦法會，為恒善之靈超度。

得知少林寺發生又一起惡性事件後，社區人士亦認為，少林寺本來是個佛教聖地、健身武館，是人們追求精神出世 、身體健康的地方，卻不想一再發生跳樓、自盡等惡性事件以及許多世俗糾紛，這實在令人無法理解 。

皇后區可樂娜少林寺的恒霖法師介紹，可樂娜少林寺是在1992年成立，來自中國大陸的果林，最先是投靠可樂 娜少林寺，被師傅釋延常收留，一起修禪習武。幾年後，果林與他人一起另立門戶，並於1999年在法拉盛興建 了一間少林寺。恒霖法師表示，恒善走上絕路對佛教界震動很大，果林應對此負責。她認為，果林扣押恒善等武術 教練的護照，卻並未替他們辦身分，致使恒善等人身分「黑」了下來。本來有病卻沒有經濟來源的的恒善，發現自 己來美數年後居然沒有合法身分，心情更加鬱悶，終於走上絕路。恒霖表示，作為擔保恒善到美國工作的寺廟主持 ，果林時常讓恒善吃些剩飯，令恒善身體越來越差。最近一段時間，果林更是刻薄恒善，最後將恒善「逼出」法拉 盛少林寺。她表示，少林弟子在美無親無故，希望社會給予幫助，為「可憐的恆善討回一個公道」。

一位曾給法拉盛少林寺捐款，並幫助恒善尋醫問藥的女居士亦稱，恒善患病後血糖過低，需要及時治療才可避免精 神類疾病，果林卻對此漠不關心。她可以幫助沒身分的恒善辦聯邦醫療計劃，卻遭到怕麻煩的果林阻攔，致使本可 獲得公費治療的恒善病況轉差。她稱，果林從不給教練們人工，令武術教練生活困窘，離開少林寺便無法生存。居 士們可憐這些教練，平時偷偷塞給他們一些紅包，才能讓他們能夠在年底寄點錢回家。對於恒善的後事，她甚至懷 疑果林會借此斂財，因而希望社會將對恒善的愛心直接交給到美國料理後事的恒善父母手中。

果林對以上所有指控均表示否認，他稱，不應把佛門弟子個人恩怨加到恒善事件上來，「讓外界看笑話」。現在主 要的問題，是如何處理好恒善的後事。